Games We Play
by Brandywine00
Summary: Chapter 6: Epilogue ... Jayne helps River in her quest for 'normal'. Final chapter posted. First Rayne fic, reviews appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

_SHALL WE PLAY A GAME?_

Rayne Summer Challenge Fic

Prompt: Games

Rating: PG-13/R (to be safe)

Pairing: River/Jayne

Disclaimer: I own neither River nor Jayne nor any associated characters. Joss is da man! Just letting the muse play in the sandbox for fun. My first Rayne fic – comments and reviews are most welcome.

Thanks: Thanks to NightLotus and GoddessofBirth for beta and commentses. Last portion unbeta'd, so all mistakes mine own! ;D

.~.~.~

She was doing it _again_.

Jayne huffed a hard breath through his clenched teeth, letting the girl see his scowl. She'd better see his scowl, gorramit, better take notice of how upset he was getting at her antics. Ain't she done been told, a hundred ruttin' times if it was once, not to be actin' like that?

'Parently not.

'Parently, she thought it just _shiny_ to go gettin' all bendy and twisty anydamnwhere she took a notion. 'Parently, weren't nothin' better in the '_verse_ than to do splits, one bitty little foot balanced on either side of the handrail at the bottom of the stairs. 'Parently, only time she could fit 'em into her gorram schedule was _now_, when he finally got done with his chores and had some spare time to work out. 'Parently, Mal's little talk with her didn't do a bit a good.

"'Parently, she don't _give_ a good gorram," the feng le girl retorted, mimicking his own Rim accent. "She will do as she pleases, where she pleases, as do others aboard this ship, so long as none are harmed."

"Hmmmph," he huffed again in her general direction, making sure he didn't look over at her directly. Bad enough he could see her from his side vision bout near good as looking at her straight on.

"Periphery," she lilted.

"Gorramit, Moonbrain, cut that out!" he groused. "Captain done told ya bout prowlin' round folks' heads, too."

Like _that_ ever did a bit a good, either.

"'Sides, I know what it's called," he said through gritted teeth, pushing the heavy bar back over his chest again. Jayne focused on the burn flooding through his arms and chest and back with each repetition. "Just don't like goin' round makin' other folk think I'm all high an' mighty, usin' fifty-credit words when plain talk'll do, 'sall. Fancy talk might fly in the Core, but out here, don't do nothin' but draw attention. Way I figure, less attention the better, dong ma?"

That seemed to shut her up for a bit, though she was still over there, doing that thing he was trying real hard not to think on. He adjusted his grip on the bar, forcing down the image of her toned legs flexed just right to hold her body perfectly between the rails, her little pink-painted toenails pointing in opposite directions.

It was just about to be his undoing, the way she'd been carryin' on around him lately. Weren't no secret he was a man what enjoyed and partook of fleshly pleasures, if there was a willin' woman about. But the last few weeks, she'd been doin' this bendy, flexy type thing just about every gorram time he laid eyes on her, and he was bout to forget she was the Moonbrain and the Doc's little Mei-Mei and Captain's Albatross, and just march his self over there and show her, good an' all why he weren't a man to be playin' games with…

He'd already mentioned it to Mal, kinda casual and off the cuff – like it weren't no concern to him but he was just bein' a responsible crewman. Course, he told Mal he thought she might fall and crack her brain, not that it mattered to Jayne, but he weren't gonna be the one to clean up the mess. Cause he sure as hells weren't wantin' nobody thinkin' that he was thinkin' overly much on the Moonbrain. Especially the type of thinkin' that might get him spaced by the Captain, or split open by an irate and very-handy-with-a-scalpel brother.

Them thoughts bothered him for a whole host of reasons, none of which he cared to study on, especially right now, where she could hear most of 'em. He wasn't sure what kinda games she was playin' at, but he wasn't stupid enough to take her up on 'em. No matter how delicious the thought of winning might be.

"Yer gonna get stuck like that, by the way," he said a few minutes later, like he didn't care one way or t'other, but hoping she'd stop maybe out of self-preservation. Jayne-preservation didn't seem to matter much to her.

Why didn't she just get down from there, already? Maybe it was one of them things the Academy had put in her mind, some kinda… crazy-killer-woman exercises she had to do. He'd never say that, though, never ask her neither, not even when she got him so mad he could chew nails and spit bullets. Made him too uncomfortable, thinking about that place and what kinda hell she musta gone through. Course, he'd never say that neither. But still, it did just the same.

"Will not get stuck," she said smoothly, raising her arms gracefully above her head. "And no, she is naturally limber, learned the balance through years of dance. Though she appreciates the man called Jayne refrains from mentioning… that place."

"Gorramit!" he roared, letting the bar slam into the rack's rests and whipping up off the bench. "Told ya, girl, stay the hell outta my head!"

She cocked her head, giving him a smug little look as she watched him stomp over to where she was balancing herself precariously on the railing. "Was not in his head. He penetrated hers. Cannot keep from engaging in mental intercourse of ideas when his thoughts slam into her so strong, and hard, and potent."

"What?" He yelped, stopping abruptly just a yard away from her like he'd hit a brick wall. "Girl, ya best not talk like that. Doncha know what kinda go se that'll get ya?"

She stared at him with those perfectly-arched brows lifting up like she didn't know.

"Go se, Moonie, not so ruttin' loud, neither! Ya tryin' ta get me tossed out the airlock? Listen, that ain't the kinda thing normal girls go round sayin', not less they're lookin' fer a quick grapple," he explained low, wondering if maybe them folks what decided she was a genius had maybe had squirrels in their own brainpans.

She snickered at him, possibly over the idea of squirrels, but he suspected she was poking fun at his expense. It just made him madder and madder.

"She did not entice Jayne's thoughts. Jayne thrust them into her and she could not resist letting them slide, hot and primal, into the waiting depths. Of her mind. Besides," she added as her smile slid away, "what would she know of 'normal'? She has never been technically classified as 'normal', and cannot manage an appropriately reasonable facsimile of such. She has tried. And failed."

He wasn't quite sure what to say to that. Still…

"Well, ya better learn somehow, girl," he said with a lot less of his earlier anger. "You go round, bein' all… bendy and such and answerin' questions folks ain't said outloud, it's bound to get ya noticed. Noticed ain't good, most times. Leads to questions. An' that leads to Feds, an' that leads to… y'know, _them_."

She dropped her head, letting that curtain of dark, silky hair hide her face, but he knew she was scared. Hell, he didn't even see them hundans and he was a little scared of 'em. Only a little, mind ya, cause he was Jayne ruttin' Cobb, they still weren't nothin' a bullet couldn't put down.

She peeked up at him as she read that. Seemed to make her a little less jumpy, so he replayed the image in his head – him and Boo standin' in front of her, facin' them faceless, blue-handed freaks down, fillin' them hundans full of lead and watchin' 'em fall.

For a heartbeat, she just looked at him like he kinda figured she woulda if that mind-picture had been real. Smilin' like he was her gorramed hero. He liked that, a little, but weren't gonna think on it too long, nor pay much attention to the way his chest kinda felt tight an' all swelled up when her chocolate brown eyes stared into him like that. 'Sides, that didn't solve her problem at the moment, and 'parently, till she got it worked out how she was supposed to act, he wasn't about to get no relief from her bendiness and flexificatin'.

"Can't ya jus'… y'know," he offered, hoping to get the issue solved, "maybe think back on how it was… before? Use that for a guide?"

Her bitter little laugh would have broke the heart of some man who let his self get all e-motional over feelings an' such.

"Was not what most would call 'normal' to begin with, Jayne," she said sadly. "Sheltered as a child. Cloistered away as a teen. And now that she is a _woman_, she has been scrambled, dosed and tucked away from spying eyes, as well as receiving multiple streams of mental data blasting in from all sides."

His mind was still stuck on that 'now that she is a woman' section of words when his brain settled on something.

"Well, why not just… listen in," he suggested quietly, not wanting no one to hear him as much as tell her to go snoopin' around folks heads. "Not crew, of course, but… folks where we land. Find out what they expect of a 'normal' girl. Ain't like they'd ever know. Just kinda use 'em to navigate, so's ya don't stick out so much, dong ma? Help ya stay under their scan?"

She tilted that pretty little head again, giving him a sarcastic look he usually only saw used on her brother. "His suggestion is valid, and would provide optimal parameters for social interaction. _If_ thoughts remained within the acceptable boundaries of actions. But they do not."

Jayne felt a flush creep up his neck. Shoulda known she'd read what he'd thought about her and them fine, fine legs. Gorramit, a healthy man couldn't help his thinkin' on a woman sometimes. 'Specially when she bent sideways at the waist, touching her entwined fingers to the tips of her toe before gracefully arching to stretch the other side. Jayne's eyes couldn't help but stare at the two perfect lengths of toned and lightly muscled leg, the lithe line of her side, the tender, exposed, creamy underside of her arm.

"Thoughts do not always fall within range of socially acceptable actions. Minds are full of twists and turns, random musings and hidden desires and secret obsessions they hope will never be heard or suspected. Is nearly impossible for her to distinguish rational thought from desired fantasy in another's mind. Are perceived as the same by her scrambled-egg brainpan.

"No," she said sadly, "despite preliminary arguments for that course of action, using such thoughts as reference for 'normal behavior'… perhaps not the wisest choice. It all gets jumbled. She wishes… She fears…"

She looked off away from him, and it was all he could do to keep his hand from reaching up, tilting her heart-shaped face back to face him. He didn't know why he wanted her to tell him, to share her wishes and fears, but Buddha help him, he did.

"It does not matter, Jayne-who-is-a-man. Minds are set, and she cannot change them. The wheels have turned, the die has been cast. Objects in motion stay in motion…"

"Well, except for the bendy part, you do all right around here, lately," he told her, burning now for her to continue.

Not, he told himself firmly, that it was of any matter to him, but just for curiosity's sake. And he hated seeing her all down and out. This little lady took down a room full of Reavers, gorramit, a feat that had earned his respect and he didn't care who knew it. Couldn't change that, even if maybe some days her landing gear didn't reach all the way to the ground.

"Most times, ya just seem… kinda off in yer own thoughts. But not no more strange than most other folks. Ya hide it real well, most days," he complimented. "Maybe you could just… do whatever it is that lets ya do it here, and use it to do it out there?"

"Is a solid premise. Very few flaws," she smiled, and Jayne felt his chest puff up a bit at her saying so.

"Regrettably, the singular flaw to his otherwise very worthy plan is fatal to achieving the desired outcome. Is not the same with out there. Limited number of minds here, patterns familiar and expected. And they are gentle toward her. No harsh thoughts, nor vile nor obscene wantings directed at her. She does not have to fend them off here. Thoughts from those here are welcome to her."

She hid her face again. "Most welcome of all is he who helps her, who shields his own wayward thoughts, so as not to distress her. She is glad she does not have to struggle so hard in his presence."

Jayne cleared his throat a bit. "Well… wanna do my part, an' such. You're bein' crew, an' all. Maybe… maybe if ya told me what it is you was 'bout to… y'know, what you was wishin' and fearin'… maybe I could… think on a way to help ya with yer problem."

He wasn't sure if she was giving his offer weight or maybe just trying to kill him with her brain – cause he still weren't full convinced she couldn't, no matter what Simon said. But he stood there, rubbing the toe of his boot against the bottom step, flicking a glance up at her every now and then while she looked right through him again.

Jayne just about decided to walk away, forget he even said it when River spoke again, soft and quiet. He leaned in a bit, just to be able to hear her.

"Her ignorance in the ways of the worlds is… problematic. She fears she will always…be alone. She has been alone for so long. First when her Gei-Gei went away to MedAcad, he was the only one who looked at her like a girl and not a pet to be showed off. Then, when she went away to…"

Big tears trailed down her fair cheek. "It is of no matter. She only wishes…"

"Course it matters," Jayne gently urged her to go on, clamping down his fingers that itched to wipe those tears off her face. "What does she wish?"

"She thinks it would have been nice," River said, her head cocked to the side. A little smile played around her lips as she looked off over his shoulder, "to have someday had a mate. A shuai man to hold her hand and touch her hair and speak her name softly in the dark… How can she ever expect a man to court her, to want her, love her if… if she's Crazy River Moonbrain? None will understand. They will not see her, they will only see the damage done. She has been crippled, not by what has been done to her, but by the pity and revulsion on the faces of others, in the backs of their minds. What man will ever want her?"

She buried her face in her hands. Jayne struggled to find something to say, hating to see her all tore up like this. Weren't right, like she said, to have folks pin an idea of who and what ya was just cause they thought they knew. Sure, the little lady had days when her head was all scrambled up like eggs for breakfast, but gorramit, that didn't mean she shouldn't have a chance to be happy too, did it? Hell no, it did not!

"Her brother will always see her as a child, forever a doll, to remain untouched and virginal. Irrelevant that she is a woman grown and matured. That she has all the working bits and desires of a woman. To the 'verse she will never grow up."

Giving a shuddery sigh, she wiped her face with both hands and gracefully lowered herself from the railings. "She must accept that as her fate, for even genius can fathom no way to change the attitudes and preconceived notions of her reality." With a determined nod and a tight smile of regret, she started up the stairway toward the mess hall.

Jayne stood rooted at the base of the stairs, unable to say a word, just watching her float away. The wheels began to turn in his mind. He might not be no genius, but he weren't always dumb as he let on, neither.

.~.~.~.~.

To be continued… reviews are appreciated! ;D


	2. Chapter 2

Rayne Summer Challenge Fic

Prompt: Games

Rating: PG-13/R (to be safe)

Pairing: River/Jayne

Disclaimer: I own neither River nor Jayne nor any associated characters. Joss is da man! Just letting the muse play in the sandbox for fun. My first Rayne fic – comments and reviews are most welcome. Unbeta'd, all mistakes mine own! ;D

Part Two

.~.~.~.~.

Genius.

Sheer ruttin' genius. Jayne Cobb fastened the last button on his very best goin'-to-town shirt, the gray one with the wide dark stripes running down it. All the gals at the whorehouses thought it was shiny, they always said as much. Course, they were getting paid to make him feel good, but still, it weren't the sorta thing a paid gal would remark on if she didn't much care for it.

The man staring back from the mirror looked ready for action. Jayne looked him over good, silently approving the sky-blue twinkle in the well-groomed fellow's eye. _That there – that's a man a gal would be proud to step out with for the night._

He tilted his head back and forth, making sure he hadn't left any stray stubble when he shaved, and catching a subtle whiff of the cologne Ma had sent him some time back. Not too much, he wasn't real big on smelling like a gorram perfume factory, and that kind of scent would give a man dead away if he was going for concealment on the job. But he wasn't on the job, not tonight. And the manly, woodsy type smell weren't too bad, he thought, checking his wallet for cashy money.

Jayne folded the stack of bills neatly and placed the wallet back in his pocket. Never could tell what a night on Beaumonde would include, and they'd landed in New Rio during Festival, so there was just so much to possibly get into. He wanted to make sure he had enough for a good time, whatever that might end up being. Whistling quietly to himself, he headed toward the cargo bay.

"We 'bout set, Mal?" he asked, straightening his gun belt nonchalantly as he ambled down the metal stairs.

"_Not_ gonna happen! Ya ain't goin' and that's final!" Mal hollered.

"Huh?" Jayne looked up, fixing to challenge Mal's sudden contrariness – cause they all needed to get off this boat for some down time. "Now wait just a gorram minute…" He let his voice trail off when he realized the captain wasn't talking to him. Wasn't looking at him. Didn't even seem to notice he'd come into the cargo hold.

"An' I hope you heard it plain that time, cause I don't think you're hard of hearin', an' I'm good and gorram tired of repeatin' myself, dong ma?"

The reason and cause for Mal's sputtered yelling and red face was standing right there in front of the man. Her arms were serenely crossed and she was shooting Mal an expression as cool as Inara did when she got up on her high horse over something.

"Her auditory functions perform exceptionally well. Concerns of cochlear damage are unfounded, unless the captain insists on continuing with the unnecessary volume," River answered, clarifying just in case, "She heard you just fine, not deaf, unless he continues yelling."

Jayne bit down on his cheek to keep from busting out laughing. Mal looked rattled, but then again, the girl always was able to get the captain's goat. And anyone else's when she took a notion. _Damn, but it's high-larious to see it happening to somebody else, though._

"Well, y'all sort out whatever it is has yer panties in a twist. I got things to do," he tossed over his shoulder, going up to the open bay hatch so he could hit dirtside. He paused a minute, fussing with his boots to knock off the dust from the last moon they'd been on.

"River, I really don't think this is a good idea," Simon's worried voice rose through the cargo hold. He and Kaylee stepped hand-in-hand from the passenger lounge, both decked out for a romantic night on the town. "We've talked it over. We'll just make alternate arrangements, if you really want to go to the Festival. Right, Kaylee?"

Kaylee bobbed her head, giving River a tiny smile. "Ain't no problem, River. Me an' Simon can go to some other fancy restaurant when we hit Persephone. It don't hafta be tonight."

"No!" River shook her head adamantly. "Unacceptable! She… I … appreciate your accommodation, but no. You look so pretty, Kaylee, in that new dress. You go, have a good time at Chez Ling's. Enjoy your evening. "

She rounded back on Mal, "She is … _I_ am … stable enough to fly your ship. Responsible enough to carry dangerous weapons. Trusted enough with them to stand at your back during meets. Proficient enough to Read when others would do harm, an ability you bear enough confidence in that it is officially included in my job duties. If I can do all these things, I assure you I am quite capable of tending to my own entertainment.

"I will not allow Simon and Kaylee to spoil their evening plans – again – because you feel I need a babysitter! I am a grown woman. I may have a father, but he is not aboard Serenity, and his will would not be binding on an adult daughter at any rate. I am going to see the Festival. And I am not upending anyone else's evening to do so. It is not your decision, _Captain_. Nor yours, Simon."

Mal looked like he was gonna swallow his tongue, but the little lady's logic was so tight, he couldn't really argue much. With a sigh, he threw up his hands, turning to Simon. "Doc, I don't like this at all. But she's right. I ain't her daddy, ain't her kin, ain't her husb– well, I really got no say over how she spends her free time nor where she does it. But I think it's a bad idea all around. You talk to 'er."

Simon started to speak, but River cut him off, her palm held flat a yard from his face. "Simon, Kaylee has been looking forward to this dinner for weeks. I will not allow my friend's needs to be continually shunted to the side because of me. No more. And," she tapped a slender finger to her temple, arching a brow, "I will _know_ if you follow me. Reader, remember? You go. Have a romantic dinner. I will be fine. Will return at the agreed-upon time, as is the standard protocol for every _other_ member of this crew."

With that, she spun on one dainty combat-booted heel and flounced out into the bright afternoon with squared shoulders and a determined step. Her flowery yellow dress swirled breezily around her trim legs before disappearing into the crowd.

"Mal?" Zoe called down from the catwalk. "Monte just waved. He needs to meet us early, has a time-sensitive run that just came through for him. Wants to meet up in fifteen, the usual place."

Mal swore under his breath, frustrated and obviously worried as he kept glancing out the hatch after the girl. He finally shook his head. "Doc, I gotta take this meet with Monte, can't be trailin' after your sister to keep her outta trouble. Can't spare Zoe. In her condition, she's better off with me and Monte, than chasing little girls across New Rio during Festival."

Jayne shot a glace up at Zoe, her belly round and prominent under the soft cream blouse. Only reason it was her going to the meet and not himself was on account of it bein' Monte. She and the little Washlet-to-be would be safe as in a momma's arms with them both around.

"Well," Jayne smirked, easing toward the door, "y'all have fun figurin' it out. I'm gonna go find a drink and a willin' woman, maybe a good tussle at the bar, if one can be had. Best a luck!"

From the corner of his eye, Jayne watched as the alternative notion popped itself into Mal's brainpan and spread across his face.

"Jayne!"

"Whazzat-?" he halted with a foot out in the sunlight, letting the scowl take over his brow. "Oh, no! Mal, no ruttin' way! Ya done said I could have the night off, gorramit! Ain't my fault Mooney's got notions of her own, and it ain't my night to babysit the little crazy person!"

"She ain't so crazy no more," Kaylee piped in. "It's been months since her last fit, ain't it Simon?"

Simon shrugged, pulling on his ear. "She does seem to be much improved since Miranda, hardly any outbursts, and I've not had to give her the first drop of anti-psychotic since then."

"I don't care if she's sane or crazier than great-aunt Lucy's goat!" he fumed, hands fisted on his hips. "I got my own ruttin' plans, an' I do mean _ruttin'_. Can't say how they do things on the Core, but I'm fair sure you don't want her lookin' on when I visit Gretchen down at the Palace of Pleasure!"

Simon shook his head vehemently, one hand over his eyes and the other held out to ward off that image. Mal just stared at him a second, then just shook his head. "You're right, Jayne."

"No, I'm right!" Jayne argued hotly. "I'm – wait, _what_?"

"You're absolutely right," Mal shrugged, as if it were settled and he was off the hook. "I got no call orderin' you to drop your plans an' follow River, keep her outta trouble. I told ya you could have the night off, and I'm a man of my word. Ain't your responsibility. Got no right to ask it of ya."

Jayne eyed the captain for a long second before nodding. "That's right," he said slowly, "you don't. Glad we settled that. So I'll be on my merry, then."

"Yup, no right askin' ya to do it," Mal headed back toward the stairs. "Zoe, wave Monte, tell him we ain't gonna make that meet, though we appreciate the offer of good, legal, coin-earnin' cargo. Maybe next time."

"Hey, now! Wait a gorram minute, Mal! Ya can't go an' pass on a good-payin' job just cause – " Jayne stepped away from the hatch.

"Yes sir. I'll wave him right now," Zoe replied, moving toward the bridge. "Maybe he'll be able to find someone else to take that cake-run before he leaves."

"But Cap'n, you said after this job, we could afford to get them replacement compressors for the main drive," Kaylee reminded him quietly. "We really, really need 'em _soon_, Cap'n. Like the 'we might be floatin' in the Black next trip' kind of soon."

Mal sighed, a worn look on his face. "I know, I know, Kaylee. But just cause the Feds lifted the warrants on River and Simon don't mean the folks what was lookin' for her have given up. I just don't feel right, her bein' out there all by her lonesome. We look after crew, and if it means we gotta pass on this job, well…"

"We'll go," Kaylee said, her head dropping a little. "Simon an' me. We'll stay far enough back, she might not Read us. It's just a luh-suh restaurant, anyhow. I don't mind too much, Simon."

"I'm so sorry, bao bei," Simon said, brushing a strand of her auburn hair from her downcast eyes. "I know you've been looking forward to this. And you do look awfully pretty in your new dress."

"Ruttin' hell," Jayne muttered with a soured look on his face. "Mal…"

All eyes turned to him. He stared up at the ceiling, letting them see his weary look, and heaved a hard sigh.

"Gorramit! Look, all right, we gotta take Monte's run. Last job was weak tea, even if nobody did get shot. An' Simon, I still ain't figured out what lil' Kaylee sees in ya, but that gal's decked out too purty ta be runnin' round, duckin' and hidin' from Mooney when she oughta be getting' whistled at and eyeballed at that fancy gorram rest'rant. You don't take 'er, I'll kick your pansy pi gu myself. 'Sides," he added with a grimace, "yer sister's prob'ly a half mile or more from here now, an' ain't a one of y'all a decent tracker. So..."

He huffed another aggravated sigh, and let his lip curl in distaste. "Guess there ain't really no choice but for me to do it."

Kaylee beamed at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "Really, Jayne? You'd do that? That's just so shiny! Ain't it, Simon?" She rushed over and stood on her tippy toes to peck his check. "Thankya, Jayne. We love our merc!"

"Well, just this once," he grumbled, kicking at an imaginary piece of dirt on the grating. "On account of the job, an' needin' them compressors, an' that there shiny dress, and hell… I ain't gotta like it, but I reckon she is crew an' all. Don't need no extra Fed attention on none of us, right?"

Mal was trying to look smug without looking smug, like he thought Jayne didn't know he'd just been played. Jayne pointed his finger and his best put-upon merc glare at Mal. "But next planet fall, you owe me a whole night's unbothered shore leave, dong ma?"

"Wo dong," Mal agreed, smiling now, and pulling Jayne to the side. "Look, just gotta make sure it seems like you happened to be goin' the same places, so she don't think we got you tailin' her, right?"

"I know what I'm doin', Mal," Jayne scoffed. "She won't think I'm doin' nothin' but havin' myself a decent time, an' we just happened up at the same spot. I ain't no amateur."

"Well. Good. An' here…"

He pulled a small pouch out of his front pocket and tossed it to Jayne. It was light, but the contents jingled when it landed in his hand. "She might wanna catch a show, or buy something from one of them booths, or some go se. I know that last run was a bit light on coin, what with half the pay bein' food and goods, so … just make sure you spend it on _her, _is thatunderstood?"

"Understood," Jayne groused.

"I _mean_ it, Jayne," Mal said in his best captainy tone. "No draggin' her around to the bars, droppin' her off in a corner whilst you spend my coin on whiskey and a pretty piece of trim. You keep her outta trouble. You make sure she's happy, an' you make sure she thinks it's all her idea, dong ma? Do it right, she might get all this outta her system, an' we won't have ta go through it again. I happen to see you two out somewhere tonight, I better see a smile on the gal's face, are we clear?"

"Yeah, Mal, we're clear," Jayne said wearily, tucking the coin bag in his pocket. "Well…" he smiled wryly, "wish me luck."

.~.~.~.~.

The city of New Rio was in full swing Festival, and the fluttering banners and streamers added to the swirl of color and commotion of the already busy port town.

It wasn't easy to track one person through the revelers and the dancers and the performing acrobatic troupes and the salesmen hawking their goods at every booth. Every soul dirt-side seemed to have come out to see and be seen. Wasn't easy to follow one bitty woman in all this mess, but it wasn't impossible. Especially for somebody who knew what he was doing.

And everyone he knew said Jayne was one of the best trackers walking.

Jayne slid easily through the press of people on the main throughway, scanning the ever-shifting sea of bodies for a glimpse of her bright yellow sundress. Glancing down the decked-out cross-streets he found no sight of River at the vendors' booths.

About two miles out from the dock, he hit jackpot.

There ahead, swaying lightly to a band of street musicians, was the sunshine-colored dress and the long, dark silky hair flowing down a slender back. He eased through the passing hordes, slipping up to stand a few feet behind her. The band was playing an old folk tune he knew and Jayne hummed along, tipping his chin in greeting when the guitar player nodded at him.

The band finished up the song they'd been playing and struck up a brisk jig. River bounced a little on the toes of her boots, and he could see she was just aching to bust out with the other folks dancing. Suddenly, she spun around to him, her eyes lighting up when they landed on his face.

"You're here!"

"Course I am," he smirked, but felt it grow into more of a real smile. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"She was…"River tilted her head slightly, "_I_ was concerned. Not sure of the altercation's outcome. You were ordered to follow me?"

"I was," he admitted, holding out his bent arm to her. River slid her hand into the crook of his elbow. "Well, not ordered so much as cornered into it. Mal threatened to pass up the job for Monte, and both Kaylee and Simon were thinkin' tailin' ya. Like you wouldn'ta caught on."

"Would have Read them easily, even in this crowd," River agreed. "It was kind of Kaylee to offer, but I grow weary of being the extra wing on the ship. I do not wish to be a further strain on my brother's marriage, nor the cause of ache in my new mei-mei's heart."

"Well, Mal seemed to have this plan, thought it'd be just shiny if I was to drop everything and escort you around Festival for the evening," Jayne told her. "Even donated a bit of coin towards the cause."

"So very kind of him," River smiled. "Such a clever plan!"

"Damn right, it's clever!" Jayne smirked. "Genius, if I do say. Never saw it comin'!"

River giggled at that. "They didn't, did they?"

Jayne beamed down at her. "Cap'n still thinks the whole gorram thing was his idea, an' your brother is prob'ly just glad he didn't have to let Kaylee down again! Didn't figure they'd let you step out on the town with me any other way, an' havin' them around to play busybody wasn't gonna help you learn what ya need to, now was it? You have no trouble gettin' here, didja?"

"Was easy to find this corner," she said, waving her fingers at one of the musicians. The large, dark-haired guitar player tipped his chin up to her. His broad smile reached all the way into his eyes, their familiar shade of blue twinkling. "Your brother plays as well as you do."

It had been luck that Mal had landed them in New Rio during the annual festival. Mattie's band played for the crowd every year, and the corner stage assigned to them for the performance made the perfect meet-up place for Jayne and River. It was on the main throughway, at a fairly large intersection, and not too far from the docks Serenity used.

Mattie had been thrilled when Jayne waved, glad for a chance to see his brother and eager to help out. Even paid a local kid to come tell him when the ship landed. If River hadn't shown up within the hour, Mattie would have let Jayne know the little lady in the bright yellow dress hadn't come by to introduce herself.

"Aw, heck, Mattie plays better'n me any day. But then again, he better. I don't earn _my_ keep from strummin' guitar," Jayne said easily. "That boy's got more talent than any what I ever met."

"Yes, but he would not have persisted in his musical studies had it not been for a caring gei-gei who sent money home. Allowed him to stay in school. Focus on scales and arpeggios, rather than ore quotas and pick axes and mine carts," River mused. "Is why the man seems to care so much about the percentage. Is not greed, though he lets the 'verse think that."

Jayne grimaced. The mines were the main source of coin back home, but they weren't much more than a dead end as far as Jayne could see.

"Weren't much choice in that. Mine output gets slimmer each year, and 'public relations' pays so much better, an' suits me," he said, wondering why it didn't bother him so much, that she saw more about him than he let other folks know.

"Mattie's lungs always did give him trouble. Doc said he'd a been dead in a few years if he'd gone underground, so... 'Sides, I couldn'ta stood it, bein' cooped up down there all the time, anyhow. I'd have needed a bughouse more'n you ever did, if I was stuck down in that mineshaft day in an' day out."

"He needs to move, needs to roam and prowl," she said with an understanding nod. "Just as she needs to dance."

"Hmmm. Right about that, little lady. So… ya wanna hang around an' dance a bit, or check out the rest of the sights?"

River chewed on her bottom lip as she scanned the rest of the street and thought about it. Her eyes brightened as they lit on one of the nearby booths.

"Would it be acceptable… would a normal girl request her beau to prove his worthiness? To win a prize for her in a game of skill?" she asked, looking back to him with those dark chocolate eyes.

Jayne followed her stare back to the booth, the pellet rifles on a bench under a string of gaudy stuffed animals.

With a smug grin, he nodded, placing his hand overtop the smaller one she still had tucked in the bend of his arm. "That there's pre-cisely the kinda thing a normal girl would ask for. Shall we?"

The light shining off her smile couldn'ta got no brighter, Jayne decided. Giving Mattie a quick salute, he guided her through the crowd to the shooting booth. Mal's coins lay heavy in his pocket, and Jayne couldn't keep the smile off his face. Yup, sheer genius, if he did say so himself.

~.~.~.~.~

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Games We Play 3

Rayne Summer Challenge Fic/Prompt: Games

Rating: R/M, mostly for language and some grown up type thoughts…

Pairing: River/Jayne

Disclaimer: I own neither River nor Jayne nor any associated characters. Joss is da man! Just letting the muse play in the sandbox for fun. My first Rayne fic – comments and reviews are most welcome. Beta'd by goddessofbirth, but all mistakes mine own! ;D

Part Three

.~.~.~.~.

Revelers gaped and parted like water as the large red and gold dragon floated through the main fairway of New Rio. Youngsters in their festival-best watched with awe and a tiny amount of fear as the ferocious beast and its equally fearsome, somewhat amused guardian charged steadily toward the nearest food vendor.

For every gasp preceding the dragon, an embarrassed chuckle of relief followed. As they passed, onlookers were finally able to see the small dark-haired girl hidden behind the humongous stuffed creature. That she insisted on carrying it herself made for a decent laugh as grown men and women stopped and stared. That his hands were nearly empty, except for a few trinkets, made for Jayne feeling awkward.

"Y'know, girl, it'd be perfectly 'normal' for the fella what won the gal her dragon to carry it for her," Jayne mentioned for the third time. "In fact, folks kinda look funny at a man for not carryin' the heavier load."

"She is – "

"_I_…" he cut in to remind her.

River tilted her head at the correction, still smiling from ear to ear. "_I_ am fine, and perfectly content to carry Theodore. I am enjoying the reaction to those who see him, especially the young ones, and he is not overly heavy. Besides," she shot him a knowing look, "Jayne feels most comfortable when his gun hand is available for defense. And she is – _I_ am – more at ease when Jayne is at ease."

Jayne shrugged again. "Theodore, huh?"

"Theodore Dragon," she nodded decisively. "Teddy in the diminutive. Though perhaps he does not prefer a nickname. A dragon is hardly diminutive himself, so perhaps Theodore it shall remain."

He could only agree with her logic in the name. Lots of folks had teddy-bears to help chase away bad dreams. Seeing how River's nightmares were filled with a lot scarier stuff than most, only made sense that a teddy-dragon was better suited to the job.

"Well, speakin' from experience, tell Teddy that most folk won't give ya crap about a name if'n ya look like ya can rip 'em a new pi gu," Jayne said, eying the dragon's terrible scowl. "Or breathin' fire works fine too, I guess. So he can be Teddy if ya want him to. Or not. Just sayin'."

Sidling up under the awning of Zhu's Interplanetary Cuisine, they eyed the menu. Jayne figured on buying a couple of sandwiches, but the eager, excited look on River's face, and her entirely too-serious question made him pause.

"How does one eat cake in a funnel, Jayne? Is it as problematic as eating an ice-planet?"

"You mean to tell me, you come from one of the richest planets in the Core," he whispered so as not to tell everybody her story, "an' ya ain't never had a funnel cake?"

She shook her head no, her eyes honest and waiting for an explanation.

"Aw, hells, gal, that can't be allowed to stand!" he declared. Muttering to himself about rich-assed folks who had it all and still didn't know how to live it up, he went all-out for a double sampler box of real honest-to-goodness festival food. Her smile made the whole booth light up, and for a minute, Jayne looked around to see if maybe somebody'd already turned on the street lamps, even though it weren't anywhere near dark.

A short trip to a couple of side-street merchants produced a thick blanket and a large jug of some sweetened, fruit-flavored drink. With Jayne's arms a little heavier, and Mal's coin purse a little lighter, they wound a path away from the fray. On the fringe of the merrymaking, they found a grassy park area with only a handful of folks sitting around under the trees.

"There is the perfect spot," she exclaimed over her shoulder as she and Theodore trotted up the low hillside. Jayne followed her lead with long-reaching strides, (but not jogging, cause that weren't manly unless somebody more dangerous than you was chasing) and trying hard to keep an eye on River without letting his eyes keep following the more rounded part of River that was bouncing just ahead of him.

_Gorramit! When did she start gettin' all… curvy?_ Hoping River was too excited about finding her spot to be listening in on his thoughts, he concentrated on balancing the light load and checking out the handful of people scattered about the hillside.

He scanned over the area, sizing up the people there out of habit. Some were picnicking, others were just taking a few minutes to regroup amid the excitement. A couple looked to be plumb asleep under the shade, arms or hats thrown over their faces to block out the 'verse. Didn't look to be anybody spoiling for trouble. Besides, weren't a one that either he or River probably couldn't handle alone, much less as a combined fighting force.

River and the stuffed toy were waiting under a tall oak when Jayne reached them. Setting the boxed lunch on the ground, he flicked the blanket out to spread it and eased down into a comfortable crouch to set out the food. River placed Theodore against the tree and joined Jayne on the blanket, bouncing excitedly on her knees with the appearance of each selection of sugary or deep-fried goodness.

"Good choice, girl," he said, approving the tactical defensive position of the higher ground. The tree she'd chosen stood out kinda by itself, leaving a swath of grassy clearing in all directions. Wouldn't be nobody could sneak up on them, unless they just weren't paying no attention at all, and Jayne was never not paying attention when he was off the ship.

"The position is easily defended. Plus," she indicated with a regal wave at the horizon, "the panorama is quite lovely, don't you agree?"

Jayne looked up from opening the bucket of what Zhu claimed was 'authentic Earth-that-Was recipe' fried chicken and studied the surrounding view.

"Right purty, I'd say," he agreed, handing her a drumstick and taking a good sized thigh for himself. "Nice mountains off that-a-way, an' that little hill there shows the harbor, but hides the docks. Ain't nothin' much purty 'bout the docks."

"She also likes –"

"I…" he said absently.

"_I_ also like the view of the city from here," she said, reaching to open a tub of fried rice. "The distance details the best of the architecture."

"Mmph," Jayne acknowledged around a mouthful of chicken. "Hides th' dirt an' trash."

They sat in comfortable silence for a bit, filling up on fare that would probably make Simon turn blue and start spouting off about clogged arteries and high-poor- tension, or some such go se. Occasionally, the girl would comment on one or another of the others on the hillside. Jayne wondered if she was close enough to Read any of the other couples nearby, or if it even mattered how far away she was for her 'powers', as he'd started thinking of them, to kick in.

"Strength of abilities proportionate to proximity," she said before he could ask. Jayne nodded, as if he weren't trying to untangle what she'd just said. She must have sensed his trouble because she frowned and stared off at one of the couples off to the right. "Isn't close enough to Read them. It is a source of great consternation. Must rely on body language to compensate."

Jayne followed her line of vision, watching the youngish pair over by a stand of pines. The man was trying to convince the woman to talk to him, it seemed, but the lady was having none of it. She'd got her knickers twisted over something or another, it seemed, and turned her upper body sharply away from the fella's outstretched hand.

"Perhaps the gentleman should find another to woo," River suggested, studying the pair intently.

Jayne snorted, smiling into one of the plastic co-mem'rative mugs River insisted they buy. "Oh, she don't wanna look it, but she's ripe for him, right enough. Playin' the oldest game there is, too."

"The lady in question does not appear interested in his advances, nor in engaging with him in any type of games." She wrinkled her nose. "Her body language speaks of distancing herself from him. Observe how she positions her torso and visage at an angle non-conducive to conversation."

Jayne observed, giving her a smirk. "Aw, hells, she ain't turnin' away cause she ain't interested, girl. She's playin' hard ta get. Like as not, she's said or did somethin' subtle-like, an' expected him to be a Reader an' say or do a particular thing cause of it. I'm guessin' he didn't catch on, an' now they's playin' the game."

"The game?" River ripped a dainty bite of the chicken leg with her teeth, chewing thoughtfully on that as the couple continued their hot and cold interaction. After a few moments, she frowned and shook her head. "I do not concur. The actions do not correspond with rules applicable to any game she…I… am familiar with. And I know many games, Jayne." She turned that 'remember I'm a genius' look on him, as if that were gonna change what he knew was so.

He couldn't help but snicker as he pulled the paper napkin off a large funnel cake, sucking the powdery sugar off his fingertip before tearing off a hunk.

"Ya might be a genius, girl, but I'm a bona fide expert on readin' womanly wiles. She's turned away, all right. But if she really didn't want him, she'da just got up an' left him sittin'. See there," he pointed with the last bite of his cake. "Sure, she's got her chest away from him, givin' him the 'you-ain't-touchin'-these-anytime-soon-less-ya-figure-it-out' posture. But that hand she's leanin' on is still on the same side as him, an' pointin' in his direction. That there's the 'gonna-give-ya-a-chance-ta-figure-it-out' reach. Goes along with the 'I-ain't sure-yer-serious-til-ya-prove-it' pout."

River cocked her head sideways as if that would help her see it clearer. "I am still not so sure. She will not make eye contact. Keeps her face and eyes turned from him, denoting an unwillingness for further communication."

"Uh-huh. Keepin' him from seein' her eyes all right," he nodded sagely. "But –" he cleaned the last bit of sugar from his thumb with a loud suck and reached for an apple fritter, tearing it in two and offering River half. She absently reached without looking, brushing her fingers lightly along Jayne's wrist and hand until she found the fritter by touch. Felt like little butterflies dancing up his hand, and he was suddenly aware of them again in his gut.

"Just watch," Jayne continued, after clearing his throat. "She's still lookin'. She ain't gave him the back of her head. That'd be more what you're talkin' bout. Reckon she's got her face turned just enough he can still see the curve of her cheek and the edge of her lashes. Means she's wantin' him to pursue, and it leaves her enough angle on the … 'periphery'…" he shot her a cocky grin as he said it, "that she can sneak a peek at him when he ain't lookin' straight on."

Intent on catching the woman's 'peek' to her mate, River kept her own eyes on the pair down the hill, letting out a small surprised gasp when the hard-to-get gal glanced back at her beau.

"She _is_ trying to watch his response!" River exclaimed, turning eyes full of awe on him. Jayne felt the bite of fritter turn cold and tasteless in his mouth as those deep, sable eyes shined up at him like he was some kinda gorram hero or genius.

"Jayne knows the ways of love," she whispered, watching the couple again as the woman coyly ducked her head and smiled. Her suitor, having no apparent trouble reading that subtle sign, ran his hand up her arm and under the lady's chin, gently turning her lips to his. As the woman fell into her man's arms for a passionate kiss, River sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. "He must teach her."

"Looks like she's doing a fair good job on her own."

"No. No. Jayne must teach her," River clarified, growing a bit agitated as she split her rapt gaze back and forth between the now-affectionate couple and himself.

Jayne laughed. "Now yer soundin' more like the moonbrain than the genius. I go over there offerin' my instructional expertise, that feller's gonna take plenty exception. Reckon he plans on doin' the teachin' of her, hisself."

River rolled her eyes at him with an exasperated sigh. "Jayne must teach her – me – River!"

He could feel his lungs expanding, and the air rushing through his stunned mouth, but suddenly Jayne felt like he'd had the breath knocked outta him. "Jayne….wha?"

She put her hand lightly on his bicep, grinning like she'd got a medal or some such. "Knows the rules and structure of the game!" Just as quick, she grew serious. "She…I …would not have looked past the obvious body language to see what lay beneath. Did not even know a game was afoot. But the man Jayne knew. But once she finds her swai beau, how will she know what to do? She will make grievous error. All will be for naught!"

She turned those sweet brown eyes on him at full force, and Jayne felt the tightening of his chest and the tightening in his groin grow at about the same pace.

"He will teach her of love between a man and a woman?" she asked, so gorram sweetly. She reached across his leg for the last fair-sized chunk of funnel cake, halving it neatly and handing him the slightly bigger portion.

He told himself to look away, but his gorram eyes couldn't seem to pull away from her mouth as it surrounded a bite of her cake, the sugary powder dusting her lips. And then, of course, she just had to lick them, two or three times, just to make sure she got all the sugar off, her pink tongue reaching slowly into the corner for that last little bit. "He will show her?"

_She's gonna be the very ruttin' end of me!_ His brain screamed the thought before he could clamp it down. Prob'ly didn't need to worry about her overhearing his thoughts, though. Didn't seem like she was paying him a bit of mind, too wrapped up in licking that last little dab of sweet powder off her fingers. _Takin' her sweet gorram time about it too._

Taking a second to kick the brain under his hat back in gear, and knock the one south of his belt buckle back into neutral, he wet his suddenly dry lips and stared off at that vista she'd liked so much.

Sure, Mal had told him to make sure the girl had a good time. An' yeah, he was a might nonspecific as to how. But Jayne was one hundred percent sure Mal's and his ideas would be miles apart as to what direction exactly a 'good time' ought to go.

"Now, little lady, I ain't so sure that there's such a good idea," Jayne said around the lump in his throat.

Escorting her around the fair on his arm, winning prizes for her, letting her have a small taste of what 'normal' gals had already experienced with a feller, that was one thing. He'd felt pretty clever coming up with that scheme, making Mal and Simon all but beg him to spend the afternoon in New Rio with her, so's not to get a one-way suit-less trip in the Black for even suggesting it.

But her request, well, that was a bit more than he'd considered taking on for the day.

River threw glimmering eyes his way before turning her head so he wouldn't see her tears. "Where else will sh- I learn? Most 'normal' girls have already experienced intercourse by now, while I have yet to know a first kiss! Simon would wish me to be content in knee-stockings and pigtails. The Captain is less desirable as an instructor, more close to a father figure. But if the man Jayne finds me so repulsive he cannot endure physical contact for educational purposes… then perhaps Captain could be persuaded..."

Jayne gulped down half his mug full of drink, choking just a little, its cold, cloying sweetness stuck in his throat. The pictures that statement brought up in his head knocked him plumb off kilter, but not as much as the hot, gnawing feeling clawing through his gut at the unexpected images of her lithe, flexy body wrapped around the captain and her dark hair plastered to her face, Mal's hands roving all over the fair, supple skin as her mouth fell open, eyes fluttered shut –

A nauseous rage flushed through him, and Jayne shoved that thought back into the farthest, darkest corner of his brain before the capture in his head could progress to places he couldn't even think on.

Weren't no particular reason for that, he argued to himself. He didn't have no claim on her, if her and Mal ever was to – well, he just weren't gonna think on that scenario. 'Sides, it weren't like him and her was lovers, nor nothin'. Jayne cussed himself silently as that little gem of a thought pulled up all manner of visions and ideas and positions that could only work with a flexy little gal like her. Along with those tantalizing ideas came the consequences, ranging from the ever-looming airlock straight to several incarnations of Shepherd Book's Special Hell.

She was still just staring up at him expectantly, waiting for his answer. Stalling for time, cause he was gorramed if he did, gorramed if he didn't, he swiped in the dark for an alternative. Preferably one that wouldn't end in him killing the Captain, or getting tossed off the ship (in or out of the Black), or landing in any assortment of Special Hells. And there it was. Shining like a skyplex beacon for a floundering ship, the solution that would fix it all.

Snapping his fingers loudly, he crowed, "'Nara!"

"Inara?"

"Yep! There's who ya need to see about this… this… education!" Jayne crossed his arms and leaned back, feeling pretty smug that he'd found the answer and the certified brainiac hadn't even thought of it. After all, sexing and loving and whatnot was 'Nara's trade, weren't it? And all of them knew the Companion took female clients. And she was all Core and respectability, so even Simon couldn't say she weren't good enough for the job. And Mal sure as hells weren't gonna toss Inara off the boat, nor out the airlock, neither!

Yessir, it was nothing but a pure win-win-win solution. Now he just had to convince River, who was looking uncertain about the perfect answer to her problem. She sat there a few seconds, looking at him like she was hunting for something, probably some sort of argument against the idea, when all of a sudden like, she gave a wry grin and sighed.

"Jayne may be right," she said thoughtfully. "I had hoped… my first taste of love would be with someone I knew. Someone with appropriate skills, who would know how to make sure I enjoyed the experience. Jayne is right. Inara holds the key. "

Jayne felt the blood flow back through his heart, patting her softly on the shoulder. "You'll see. 'Nara knows. Best choice for what yer needing, little lady," he said, sinking his teeth into the last piece of chicken.

"Yes, I'm certain she will. I will approach her on the matter" she said, the idea seeming to grow on her. "A Companion, skilled in the sensual arts, who will ensure that sexual pleasure and orgasm will be achieved."

His blood was certainly flowing now, just picturing the two of them together, all soft skin and breathy moans. "Honest, River, I can't figure you didn't think of it before now. Was right there in front of ya the whole time!"

"You're right, Jayne. I owe you thanks for the suggestion. I'll ask Inara tomorrow for her recommendations. With her extensive contacts, she should have no trouble matching me with a suitable male Companion."

The only thing keeping him from spewing his food across the blanket was the fact his jaw dropped straight open. "Male – "

"Of course, male, silly Jayne," she said, again with the 'don't be a boob' look. "I lean to men, though perhaps later Inara would consent to contract with me herself. It will be awkward, at first, sexing a stranger. But if I cannot convince you to offer your services, I suppose a registered male Companion shall have to suffice."

This wasn't how his genius idea was supposed to play out, gorramit! His whole brilliant plan for the day had gone to go se in a hand cart. She was just supposed to get a feel for steppin' out with a feller. Learn how not to freak out, how to block out the riffraff and just enjoy herself without worrying on anybody kidnapping her. He'd get to look like the hero, both to her and to the crew.

She weren't supposed to let some dandified male whore what didn't know her past a paycheck to sex her. She was… was… well, she just wasn't supposed to be grappling with no damned stranger, that was what. River Tam was better than to hafta pay a man for her first time, miles more worthy than being reduced to giving her flower to some heartless, cold hundan who prob'ly wouldn't remember her face three weeks later.

Yeah, that was what she needed. To wait, hold out till she met that ordinary man, not waste her innocence on some paid fancy whore-boy. A girl like her was supposed to get real loving with the sexing, pure and simple.

Ought to be like one of them romantical novels her and Kaylee kept gushing on about. Not that he ever read them, course, it was just the girls always saw fit for some damned reason to tell him all about the latest stories. The ones where the beautiful girl gets swept offa her feet by the handsome feller cause he saw her and his heart plumb sunk down in his toes and he knowed he was gonna marry her and give her a half dozen babies.

Except that idea spawned an image fit to break even a hardened mercenary's heart. River hog-tied to some back-berth hundan, what acted swai and sweet on her long enough to get hitched legal-like, only he was just pretending to get her off the ship and in his paws. River surrounded by a pack of squalling young'uns while her bright eyes grew dull with woe and worry and want.

The sack of inbred meat sneakin' off to some whore's bed, leavin' River with their passel of hungry babies while bill collectors and tax assessors and the ruttin' Blue Hands crept closer and closer. That diseased spawn of a rabid pig comin' home with his whore's stink still on him, pressin' River into their broke down, louse-eaten bed, expectin' her to –

"Ruttin' hells, no!" Jayne shouted, leaping up from the ground with fists clenched, his chest heaving like he'd done run twenty miles. "Ain't no way none a that's happenin'! I accept yer invite, Ms. River Tam."

"Invite?"

Jayne blinked several times, real quick, as the voice flooded his ears, but her lips never moved. He wondered for a split second if maybe she had some new kinda mind-thought-sending powers kicking in, and if he ought to be worried about that, and why he didn't seem to be overly much.

"Yeah, your invite to – "

"Dancing," she spoke up loudly, her lips moving this time as she smiled brightly. A little too brightly, Jayne thought, puzzled at the swerve in the conversation.

"Sounds delightful," came the voice again. A searing cold chill spiked through his gut as he turned and came face to face with Inara with her hand in the crook of Mal's bended arm.

"Yeah, dancin'," he muttered, trying hard not to look like he was looking too hard at the Captain to see how much had been overheard.

"Well, that just might be the ticket, 'Nara, don't cha think?" Mal's smile looked real enough, 'specially when it was pointed at Inara. "Been a while since we been to a real shindig, ain't it, darlin'?"

Inara rolled her eyes, no doubt thinking back to the last time she and Mal had ended up at a fancy 'do. Mal ended up stabbed in a sword duel, of all gorram things, even though they'd got the job he'd went after.

"Perhaps a slightly more low-key 'shindig', bao bei," Inara said, a little smile quirking at the corner of her mouth.

"So, Albatross, you an' Jayne run into each other, huh? He been showin' you around the sights? An' bein' gentlemanly, too, I suspect?" There wasn't no doubt that last was a pointed warning in Jayne's direction, but River smiled sweetly in his defense.

"He won her a dragon. And bought funnel cake. It was not problematic at all!"

"Good, good," Captain said, giving Jayne what he figured was supposed to be a secret nod of approval. "Like to see my crew all gettin' on together. Well… you kids be about yer day, or whatever. Me and my lady fair are off to get us some culture. Less y'all care to join us?"

"There's an off-off-Londinium troupe performing at the Paladium Theatre in the Old City," Inara said gracefully. "I'm told they're almost good enough to book the Core."

Jayne shot River a questioning look, but she shook her head.

"Still many booths to explore. Fire eaters and jugglers and the man with the tiny elephant. And Jayne has promised her…" she raised her brow.

"Pizza," he filled in.

"Yes, pizza!" she exclaimed.

"Well, y'all have fun with that. An' try not to spend _all_ yer coin on fripperies," he warned, just nearly hiding a grimace.

"Will do, Cap'n. You and 'Nara enjoy yer show, now. We 'spect to hear all bout it back on Serenity."

"Oh, I'll make sure of that," Mal said cryptically over his shoulder as Inara practically dragged him away.

Jayne blew out a long sigh, glad the Captain was moving on without shooting him, but stuck again right back in the line of thoughts he'd nearly blurted out.

"Perhaps I should go ahead and mention our plan to Inara," River said. "She may have a suitable contact here on Beaumond."

"No," he said, his voice surprising him in how steady it was. "Just, no. Can't let that happen to ya, girl. I said I'd do it. I'll… teach ya what ya wanna know. Just… hafta figure out the whens and wheres, so's I don't get ended for the trouble, dong ma?"

Her smile woulda lit up half of New Rio, had it been dark already. Popping up on her tippy toes, like when she did them fancy dances in the cargo bay, she leaned up, one tiny hand on his chest and brushed a kiss on his cheek.

Jayne wondered what in nine hells he'd just got hisself into.

.~.~.~.~.~.

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

Games We Play 4  
Rayne Summer Challenge Fic/Prompt: Games  
Rating: R/M, for language, some grown up type thoughts, and perhaps more…  
Pairing: River/Jayne  
Disclaimer: I own neither River nor Jayne nor any associated characters. Joss is da man! Just letting the muse play in the sandbox for fun.;D

Part Four

.~.~.~.~.

_What the cao have you got yourself into this time_?

Jayne tipped back the glass of whiskey, letting the burn wind down his throat as he tilted his head back and stared up through the galley skylight overhead.

A billion bitty bright dots stared back down at a bitty Jayne Cobb in the bitty transport ship. They looked like a billion bitty eyes, all a shinin' an' winkin' knowingly at him, like they _knew_ what was goin' on and just couldn't wait to tell the rest of the 'verse, but weren't gonna tell him a thing.

_What the gorram hell were you thinkin'? Agreeing to show the girl… to teach her… _

Jayne huffed out a breath, leaning to brace his forearms on the wooden table and staring into the whorled patterns in the grain. No sense not being honest about it, 'specially not with himself.

_Call it what it is, man. You told her you'd sex her. And not just sex her, not just give her some run-of-the-mill lay, but guide her through her first time. Told that girl you'd take her flower. Who the ruttin' hell are you, to have earned that? Cao, you ain't even been with a virgin afore, you sure you even know what one needs?_

He scrubbed his face in his hands, feeling the calluses born from years of holding a weapon and hard work scrape against his own skin. _Girl oughta have softer hands than these touchin' her._

Pouring the glass half full again, he took a long, slow draw of the amber liquid. It'd be easy just to say it was the alcohol to blame for the knot in his gut. Felt like his innards was twisting around, thoughts and feelings swirlin' around like them long twirly ribbons she used when she danced sometimes, too tangled to sort out easy, but never holdin' still. He could see her in his mind, dancing around the cargo bay like she was wont to do, moving like she had angel wings on her feet.

_Angel._

Yeah, she was just like an angel.

_An angel ought not to have hands on her that's had so much blood on them, hands that's dealt so much thievery and destruction and death._

An image flared in his head, sudden like. Blast doors widening, revealing a dark, slender figure standing knee-deep in gore and bodies, shoulders rising and falling in time with the deep breaths she took through her nose, nostrils flaring, eyes burning into him, into all of them. Her thin strong hands gripped the handle of a bloodied blades on one either side of her as she waited for the next onslaught.

_Angel of Death._

The truth of that remembered image shook him, as he realized with a surety in his gut that she had it right all along. What powdered, lotioned-up, silk wearin' prissy boy-whore would ever understand what she was? What she'd been through? Would look on her lethal grace, her deadly beauty and still be able to see the untried, unsure, self-questioning young woman she really was?

Jayne grimaced. _Not hardly nobody, that's who._ And them that would know what she was: would they be able to look mayhem in the eye, and not be so ruttin' scared of the not-quite-sane killer underneath them that they couldn't get to business? Would take things slow, make sure she got her play, rather than zip through the motions and skedaddle out the door? That was a pretty short list, with one name riding right there at the top.

He blew a determined breath through his nose as his lips set into a stubborn line._ Well, all right then._ _You're gonna give that little lady her first sexin', just like you told her you would. And you're gorramed gonna do it right! _

He leaned back in the chair again, staring back at those tiny distant burning suns. He'd need to check the cortex for some information. Oh, sure, he knew well and good how to make a woman moan his name when he had his hands and mouth and body on her. Spent a lot of years learning how to make sure he was a prime customer at the whorehouses, one the best girls would wait for once they heard Serenity was dirtside. Never could stand sloppy seconds, didn't matter how good the gal washed up after a customer, but that wasn't the main reason.

No, there was a certain thrill he got when he saw and heard and felt a woman come undone under his touch. Just knowin' it was him what made her eyes get that glassy sheen, caused her breath to run fast and stuttered against his neck, turned her thighs weak and trembly even while she locked them tighter round his back trying to pull herself up into his thrusts… weren't many more things in the 'verse could give a man satisfaction like that.

But in all the years since he'd been old enough to call himself a man, he'd never laid down with a virgin, never taken what even his jaded mind still considered a great honor. Even the whores he bought time with, them that'd had a hundred or more men betwixt their legs, could tell you the name of their first lover, still describe the experience after all these years, good or bad. Was supposed to be something real special, to be a gal's first man.

In spite of all his years of experience with women, every last one of them, paid or just frisky, was exactly that – full-grown, experienced women. Of course, there was one woman, experienced, gorram trained in sexin', even, who could tell him what he'd need to know.

Jayne bit back a laugh at irony. Here they was, floatin' around in the Black with a licensed, Core-educated, practicing Companion living just a few yards away. 'Nara was sure to have all the knowing he needed to do this right, but gorramed if he could ask her. Even if he didn't name no names. Weren't but one unattached, young, virginal woman on the ship, and he was smart enough to know all 'Nara's fancy education included math. That woman could add just fine, and the sum of one plus one equaled up to a dead or hurtin' Jayne, if she ever let it slip to Mal what he'd been askin' after.

What River had said to him that day in the cargo hold was true. Didn't matter that she was a legal grown woman by all accounts of the known 'verse. Hell, far as Jayne was concerned, anyone could take on a room full of Reavers, diving into them to do it, was full-grown, didn't matter if her eighteenth birthday hadn't been till the next month after that. Had to respect what the lady could do, that was a fact.

Didn't matter to the rest of the crew that she'd reached legal age, neither, it seemed. Her brother, the Captain, all of them wanted to keep treatin' her like she was still just a little girl, like she'd always be a little girl. Just cause Jayne could see she wasn't, didn't mean the rest of the crew wouldn't end him for even agreeing to her request.

Naw, the cortex logs could be erased soon as he had what he needed. He was on watch duty the next night, easy enough to do it then. After that… it was just a matter of getting him and her out from under everyone else's nosy eyes. They'd need a place where they could both relax without worry of being walked in on nor overhead by the rest of the crew.

This weren't gonna be no quick grapple in the storage closet, no hurried sexin' in the spare shuttle or snuck away in his bunk, trying like all hells to be quiet. No, it was gonna get done right, he was gonna make sure of that. Jayne let a smile tickle the corner of his lips. He had just the place in mind, kinda fitting, all things considered.

A long sigh eased out of his chest as his mind settled on his course of action. When he lifted the glass to his lips again, it didn't seem quite so heavy.

.*~*~*~*~*

A bevy of suggestively-clad ladies perked up when the big man walked through the door. Their khol-lined eyes lit up at the recognition of him, several of the women flushing a pretty pink along their plunging necklines as Jayne removed his hat and hung it on the rack at the door. Nodding a polite greeting at a couple of his usual girls, he headed toward the back office without so much as a drink, leaving several perplexed and disappointed faces behind him.

Miss Darleen must have been listening for his footsteps, the thick oak door opening just as he raised his hand to knock. The middle-aged madam still made a fine picture, her creamy skin still flawless, eyes still dancing hazel, with just the barest hint of tiny lines at the corners. Her rich auburn hair, pulled up neat and loosely clasped, still shined like dark fire, though Jayne wouldn't speculate how much of that was from nature.

"Why, Mr. Jayne Cobb! Wondered when I'd be seein' yer shuai face in my establishment," she purred in honeyed tones, reaching a soft, scented hand to trace his jaw. Her garnet-lacquered nails glimmered in the glow of the lamplight of the wood-paneled hallway. "Heard Serenity had landed in port this morning, figured it'd be just a matter of time 'fore your fine self graced our door."

Jayne let his mouth curve into a genuine smile, capturing her elegant fingers and bringing them to his lips with a gallant kiss, and giving her a devilish look over the back of her hand.

"Miss Darleen, you just keep getting' shinier. Sure you don't wanna let go all this 'retirement' nonsense and give your gals a run for their money?"

"For you, bao bei, I just might do," she laughed, the hearty sound echoing through the well-appointed office as she led him into the room. "Most days, though, I'm content to see to the runnin' of things, makin' sure the customers are payin' and the girls are clean and everybody's happy. A madam doesn't come to have the finest whore house on the rock by just sittin' back and hopin', don't think it's easier than workin' upstairs for a second."

Offering him a seat in a leather wing-back chair, she poured him a drink from a bottle on the sidebar and produced a decent-grade cigar for him. As the smoke curled up toward the ceiling, she gracefully took a seat behind the large wooden desk, eyeing him with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"Your wave said you were needin' to speak with me about an important matter, in private," she said after giving him time to take the first drink. "I hope there's not been a problem with one of my girls? I figure you'd have said something at the time if there was, Jayne."

"No, no, nothin' like that," he shook his head. "Ain't never had nothin' but the best service at your place, Miss Darleen, an' that's a fact. That's the reason I thought of you and the Golden Lotus right off for... What I mean is…"

Her low chuckle made him blush a bit, not something that happened more than once or twice a decade, but Darleen could still get that reaction out of him. "Must be somethin' special, to get you all tongue-tied."

"Yeah, well, it's a special kinda request," he answered, repressing the sudden urge to fidget in his seat, like he had all them years ago the first time he'd set foot into the Golden Lotus.

Of course it hadn't been Miss Darleen's place then. She'd been one of the working girls on the floor, older and wiser, but still with a hint of the dew of youth in her cheeks. Jayne felt a smile working up when he thought about it, how she'd taken a still-green boy, not off-world for more than a couple weeks, and showed him a 'verse of knowledge he hadn't even dreamed of in his wettest teenaged fantasies.

That busted core compressor had put the freighter he worked on in dry-dock for two whole weeks. Old Captain Murchison was fit to be tied, but a barely legal Jayne Cobb, flush with cash for the first time in his life, considered what he'd learned in those two weeks to be miles more worthy than any jobs they'd missed out on in the meantime.

Leaning back against the leather, he laid out his request to the woman who'd made him a man. Her eyes grew wide at the first mention of him bringing a virgin here, but he'd told her as much as he dared about River, and her special 'situation' when it came to sexing. Left out the particulars on the whole Blue Hands, Fed mad scientist, wanted by the law sort of thing.

Darleen had listened with a poker-faced expression, her warm sensuality taking the back seat to her acute business senses. When he'd finished, she leaned back in her chair, the mate to the one he sat in, and steepled her hands, bringing the sparkling red tips to her pursed lips. Staring down at the carved jade flower on her desk, she sat silently for several long moments, then flicked her direct gaze into his waiting face.

Jayne held the last breath he'd taken in, not letting his own eyes waver as she sat there taking his measure.

"See here's the thing," she said finally. "Girls that come here to work, they sign contracts, releases, that sort of legal thing. They know what they're in for, and if they don't, the orientation meeting makes sure they do before they take the first customer. This girl, young woman, I don't know her Jayne. Ain't sayin' I don't trust you, but I don't trust them I ain't never met, dong ma?"

"I'd bring her to meet you first, you want," Jayne offered easily. He'd expected at least a hesitancy on the madam's part. She did, after all, have to look out for her own best interests. "Earnestly, I kinda hoped you might sit down with her and have a little talk first, kinda a woman-to-woman thing, over tea, maybe. I'd pay for yer time, of course," he offered. Darleen was a friend, as close as most folks got to being his friend anyway, but 'Miss Darleen' was an entrepreneur whose time was, and always had been, very expensive.

Gliding from her seat to stand facing the wide, sheet-glass window, she sighed. "Yes, that would be required, if… _if_ I agree to this. I'd need to have some reassurance that once you and she had gone upstairs, she wouldn't be showing up a week later at my door with the constable, claiming she'd been trickd or forced or whathaveyou."

She turned to face him squarely. "Got thirty-five people lookin' to me for a paycheck, come the end of the week, responsibilities to see to, not to mention my standing in the community. Folks start thinkin' I'm running the sort of establishment where young girls get taken to be misused, I'll be run out of town faster than you can blink. I know you, Jayne Cobb, know it ain't in you to hurt a gal, but I don't know her, and neither do they. So you bring your lady friend by for a little chat between us girls, and… and we'll go from there. Best I can give, until I've met her. Now, assuming I agree, as for the arrangements…"

.~.~.~.

To Be Continued...

Reviews appreciated ;D


	5. Chapter 5

Games We Play 5

Rayne Summer Challenge Fic/Prompt: Games

Rating: R/M, for language, some grown up type thoughts, and perhaps more…

Pairing: River/Jayne

Disclaimer: I own neither River nor Jayne nor any associated characters. Joss is da man! Just letting the muse play in the sandbox for fun.

Great big thanks to BigBadJayne for beta! ;D

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Part Five

.~.~.~.~.

Jayne paced the room, coming to a stop in front of the door, staring at it a second before pivoting on his heel and crossing to the window.

_What was takin' so ruttin' long?_

They'd barely slipped in through the back door of the Golden Lotus when Miss Darleen had ushered River into the madam's plush chambers for their 'woman-to-woman talk'. More than an hour later, he was real proud of himself for only having poured one drink out of the cut-crystal decanter the staff had left in the room he'd been escorted to. Even prouder for staying put.

Half a dozen times, he'd marched over to that door, hand on the knob, to go see what was taking so gorram long. Half a dozen times, he'd grabbed the knob; half a dozen times let it slip from his fingers and backed away. Maybe Darleen had talked River outta the whole thing, convinced her to wait for somebody more like herself.

Somebody cultured. Smart. Somebody who weren't wanted on about six or seven worlds in connection to various and sundry 'incidents' of questionable legality.

Even he had to chuckle, realizing that last didn't measure up. He was a bad man, he knew that. Done a lot of things for coin that he prayed his mother never asked him about. But even Jayne Cobb never had the law after him with the will that they'd come after River. Didn't matter that none of it had been her fault, but the result of what the Fed's scientists had done, the killer they'd made her into.

Jayne paced over to the decanter, tilting the amber liquid into his glass to top it off, but letting the glass sit there on the table. He reached instead for a crisp, thin slice of apple, appreciating that Darleen's folks had gone above and beyond what he'd expected. He'd paid a fair bit of coin for the finest room the Lotus had to offer, so he'd expected the rich, red velvet drapes round the bed, matching the thick satin coverlet, and the swanky plush rug, what looked like it coulda come from Earth-that-Was Persia. But the madam hadn't said nothing about the expensive decanter of brandy, nor the light tray of cheeses and fruits, and some fancy-looking dips for the apples. Jayne

Any other time, he'd have polished off the whole tray in no time flat, and swiped out the last drop of the dips with the tip of his finger. But the tightness in his belly made the treats less tempting. _Besides, the little lady may want a bit to eat before. Or after._

He'd have gone through a good portion of that high-class liquor, too, but not tonight. Didn't wanna be sloppy for what lay ahead. Much as he was anxious about it, he had to admit, he felt kinda proud that the girl had asked him. Honored, really, though he wasn't sure what he'd done to deserve it.

_Anyway, Darleen prob'ly done has her talked outta things. Prob'ly for the best anyhow._

The spiral of disappointment at that thought stunned him. _Go se, you want this_, he realized, sitting down hard on the edge of the bed as he let himself think on that. _What are you after, Cobb. You don't think she's gonna want more than just tonight, do ya?_

_Do you?_ The question shot back at him. _Best you know the answer to that afore things get too far gone, boy._

.~.~.~.

Another half hour had ticked off the chrono display when Jayne heard soft footsteps coming down the hallway. Standing to face the door, he waited, smoothing his hands down his thighs as it opened slowly.

Expecting to greet the slightly nervous-looking girl he'd come with, he was surprised to find instead an elegant young woman. The glow from the oil lamps reflected in her dark hair, the strands shining like they'd been brushed with a thousand strokes. As much time as had passed since he'd seen her, it was entirely possible. Someone had done it up all pretty in a loose knot, tucked up with two enameled sticks.

With her hair burnished and pulled away from her face, her natural beauty shined, enhanced by a sheer touch of makeup. Her lips had been lightly kissed with a rose gloss, and the barest of tint gold danced around her dark-fringed almond shaped eyes, but none of it hid her.

If he hadn't known her, hadn't known who she was, he'd have sworn she was one of them elegant Companions, instead of the same River Tam he'd slipped into the back of the Golden Lotus with.

River bowed her head a little, a faint pink blush rising up to her cheeks as she looked up at him with those soft brown eyes. "First time with facial painting. She does not look too garish?"

Jayne smiled at her, his eyes tracing from her pretty face down the shimmering dressing gown, the heavy ivory silk embroidered with golden flowers – lotus flowers, he saw as he stepped closer to her.

"No, she looks beautiful," he said softly, his breath giving the words a slight quiver. "You look beautiful, River."

Another blush danced across her skin, a darker rose than before. "I must thank our hostess for her invaluable assistance," she said shyly, letting her fingertips trace the gold threads swirling down her belly. "And the fine dressing gown."

Jayne stopped a half step away from her, letting his hands glide lightly down the loose silk sleeves covering her arms. "Miss Darleen may have give ya this pretty to wear, but you're what makes it shine."

Her slender hands floated up to the banded collar of his dark blue silk shirt, the one he'd bought special just to wear for her. "Jayne is also pleasing to the eyes," she offered with a hesitant confidence, her eyes slowly taking in every detail of him as her hands slid lightly down to rest on his chest. Tiptoeing up until her face was level with the collar, she ran her nose along his jawline. "And pleasing to the olfactory senses as well," she said brightly.

He chuckled. "Yeah, you smell pretty good, too."

And she did, he thought. The light floral scent mixing with the delicate natural female aroma made his senses wake up and take notice. Looking at her now, all decked out in the finest female frippery, it was easy to see the woman she'd become over the past couple of years, to glimpse the woman still yet to come in the years ahead. She was a beauty now, but in time, this little lady was gonna be a pure knock-out.

He wished for a second that Simon and Mal, and even maybe Inara, could see her right now; wouldn't nobody be able to look at this fine young woman standing her in front of him and see her for anything else.

"She wishes also, that they could see Jayne as she does at this moment." Her sable eyes sparkled, the centers so large and dark as the Black that he expected to see a few stars in them. Such a look of trust and dawning confidence of her own desires… it took his breath a second to catch up with his suddenly racing heart.

"Ain't nobody gonna notice an ol' roughneck like me when a pretty thing like you is standin' nearby," he said, taking her dainty hand and pulling her gently over to a big, wide settee.

She lit on the velvet cushion as he eased himself onto the seat next to her. Her fingers still laced between his, he brought her hand to his lips to brush a kiss across it, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Need you to tell me now, honest, no _go se_, River," he said, rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand. "Gotta know you're sure about this. Make sure you still want it. Cause there ain't no take-backs here. You havin' any second thoughts, or wanna wait, you let me know now, _dong ma_? We ain't gotta do a thing here tonight, 'cept maybe have us a fine drink and a soft nap, if you ain't sure or changed your mind."

"He thinks she may regret him," she said softly, shaking her head, stroking his cheek with her fingertips. "She will not. She has chosen him for reasons that go beyond mere physical attraction or convenience of proximity."

"I'm just gonna pretend I understand ever word you said, even if I don't understand yer choice," he said. "You could do a sight better for your first time, darlin'. Sure you wouldn't rather find one of them… fancy boy-whore friends of 'Nara's after all? I mean… I ain't exactly the settle-down, picket fence and rose bush kinda man, _dong ma_?"

"Don't need you to be. Know you do not seek eternal exclusive cohabitation," she said with a soft smile. "Neither do I. Though if I were, and if you were… you are 'miles more worthy' than you credit yourself with."

She smiled, placing her hands on his chest and looking him sweetly in the eye. "He is the only one she trusts with this, Jayne Cobb," she said. "The only one who really sees her for what she is, the good and bad. He knows the real River and doesn't shy away, or try to paint over the ugly parts. Knows her weak spots, but does not mock the shortfalls, her lack of normal knowledge. He will appreciate that which she…which I… offer up to you. Plus, if she gets unruly, he can defend himself," she shrugged, a wary look in her eye. "Cannot say what reaction a surge of hormones and endorphins will cause."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said with a not-entirely joking smile, quietly adding, "I'm full honored by this gift, River."

"The gift is to me, Jayne-who-is-a-man," she said, ducking her head a bit. A light pink tinted her cheeks behind the dark silky length of her hair. "He will enable River-the-moonbrain-girl, the test subject, to become River-who-is-a-woman. Take the pieces-parts and help her to be a whole woman, in this respect if none others. He will always have a special place in her heart. She will never be able to repay her gratitude."

Jayne opened her palm in his, brushing a slow, soft kiss into the center of her hand. "Well, reckon if you're sure…" He let his lips trail up the soft underside of her wrist, feeling the pulse fluttering just beneath the delicate skin. "How you wanna do this? I'm not sure what you're expecting, or how much Darleen told you…"

"Would like to… explore," she replied hopefully, fingering the buttoned edge of his shirt. "She knows human anatomy, has memorized the names and configurations of muscle and sinew. Familiar with the structure and operational physiology, but… does not know how skin feels to her touch. Would it be acceptable, for her… for _me_… to become acquainted with his body first?"

He shivered a little, his breath starting to speed up as she stroked the row of buttons down the front of his chest. "Anything you wanna do, darlin'. You just tell me what you want, tell me if you don't know, _dong ma_?"

"_Xie xie_," she said softly, her own breathing a little shallow too, he noticed. He closed his eyes, savoring the feel of her hands running lightly along his sides, around his back, down over his arms. Her nimble fingers worked the buttons quickly, slipping under the blue silk to caress his chest, his abs, the more tender flesh near his hips.

"This should be off," she whispered decisively, pushing the edge of the shirt over his shoulders.

Bringing his arms around her so he could work the buttons at the cuff, Jayne lowered his face to breathe in the scent of her hair. _Gorramit, always did love the feel of a woman's long, sleek hair against my face, flowing through my fingers, draped across my chest. More than once, wondered how silky hers would feel…_

As soon as the sleeves were free, he let the shirt fall to the ground, his arms surrounding her as he pressed his nose and mouth close to the dark, burnished locks. He'd thought earlier that, considering the importance of getting everything right, maybe he'd have to think on other things to get ol' John Thomas to cooperate.

_Ain't gonna be a proble_, he realized_. _The second her soft, moist lips explored his collarbone, ran down to his chest, her wet tongue traced the darker, sensitized nipple, he was sure. There weren't gonna be room for thoughts of nothing else but the woman in his arms.

.~.~.~.~

To be continued…. Reviews are manna, please feed the writer! ;D


	6. Chapter 6

Games We Play 6 ~ Epilogue

Rayne Summer Challenge Fic/Prompt: Games

Rating: R/M, for language, some grown up type thoughts, and perhaps more…

Pairing: River & Jayne

Disclaimer: I own neither River nor Jayne nor any associated characters. Joss is da man! Just letting the muse play in the sandbox for fun. Sorry for the long delay. Unbeta'd, all mistakes my own. Reviews appreciated! ;D

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Part Six ~ Epilogue

.~.~.~.~.

Jayne stepped into the dusty sunlight of yet another back-berth world at the rear end of the 'verse, sliding on dark glasses against the glare. Mal's contact wasn't scheduled to hit dirtside for another day, so once the crew had seen to Serenity's fuel and supplies, Captain had given them shore leave until the following morning.

Suited Jayne's purposes just fine. The big man smiled to himself, stepping away quick as he dared without looking overeager. Didn't wanna draw any extra attention from his crewmates, or more than the evening would be blown. Then again, he didn't dawdle so slow as to give Mal time to find yet another bit of work on the boat before he could leave, and time was wasting.

They'd been out in the Black several weeks now, only hitting dirt for a couple of quick transfers, and no time to see to certain physical-type needs. The promise of answering those needs now drove Jayne resolutely down the side street with a spring in his step.

Ducking into the shade of an entryway, he scanned back over the way he'd come. Yep, sure enough, here she sashayed down the street in that bright yellow sundress, heading toward his location, but from a different direction. Had to double back, no doubt, shake her over-protective brother from her trail. They both knew exactly how well her brother or the captain or pretty much any of the crew would react about finding out Jayne and River's plans.

Keeping to the dark recess, he watched her saunter by the doorway. She glanced toward him as she passed. Anyone else would see just another confident young space-faring woman, stretching her combat boot-clad legs after a month in the Black. No one else would have noticed that knowing smile and barest of nods that she let slip as their eyes met for a millisecond. He gave her a smile back, and a nod he was sure she'd feel more than see.

Waiting until she'd been gone a full minute, Jayne eased away from the entry. A quick check of the back trail showed neither of them had been followed. Still, just to be sure, he worked his way to the rendezvous by criss-crossing through the back alleyways. A quarter-hour later, he came to the entrance of their pre-chosen establishment.

"Beaureguarde's Tavern and Fine Dining" wasn't one of his usual spots. The place was a bit too middle-class respectable for his tastes, with a freshly whitewashed façade and crisp checkerboard cloths on the tables in the looking-glass window. Then again, he wasn't just picking a watering hole for himself this time. Had River to think on, and a woman ought to have a little niceness when she could.

There were few enough fripperies to be had in the Black, he could compromise on this small thing. Besides, he wasn't sure he wanted her associating with the typical customers at his regular sort of hang-out.

Not that she couldn't handle herself if it came to it, he thought with admiration, but… he just didn't want her to have to. This was a rare occasion, a bit of free time to relax and enjoy. Didn't want to spoil that for either one of them.

As he slid through the door at Beauregarde's, Jayne was pleased to see the place wasn't just all doilies and tea biscuits. A long, polished wooden bar ran the back length of the main room. The variety of bottles lining the wall behind it spoke of decent, working man's liquor, nothing fancified, but not just rot-gut offerings, either. A well-worn tap offered ale, and from a door past the bar, the aroma of potatoes and some kind of grilled meat drifted out into the main chamber.

A few couples sat eating around the tables, eating or drinking from plain, clean-looking ceramic mugs. On Sundays, this place was probably a family establishment. Thankfully for him, this was a Friday. Not too many matrons here to wag their fingers at a man looking for a bit of necessity.

A few fellas had already started the festivities with a round of ale and a friendly - for now - game of cards. A decent looking whore, not showing quite as much flesh as some places, perched on one of the men's lap. A couple of her co-workers reclined on a nice sofa off to the side, their eyes lighting up when he nodded politely toward them.

Jayne eased onto a barstool, and rested his forearms on the wood as he studied the ladies through the big looking glass behind the bar. One of them, a statuesque blonde with just the right amount of ample bosom displayed, made eye contact in the mirror. She whispered to her co-worker on the sofa, and rose to head toward the well-built stranger who obviously had time and coin to spend on a Friday night.

He watched her amble toward him. Checking the rest of the room in the mirror, he spied River at a window table.

If the whore had dolled up her definitely female attributes to attract customers, River had merely accentuated her feminine qualities. She looked fresh and young, but not so innocent that she'd be an easy mark. Jayne nodded as she smiled and gave a tiny wave at his reflection.

This last month, she'd really started to bloom. He had to give himself just a little credit on that score, but most of it was her own doing. He might have opened the door to a whole new world for the sheltered, and still slightly 'egg-cent-trick' girl, but she'd flung it wide open and run through to a whole new kinda world. Didn't even call herself "she" anymore. Well, not that much, anyway.

"Haven't seen you in here before," a dusky female voice purred in his ear, just about the same time her flame-colored fingernails slid up the back of his arm, in open invitation. "And believe me, I'd remember a _shuai_, strong man like yourself."

Reflection-River frowned at the woman's obvious interest. Tilting her head in question, she stared at Jayne until he nearly thought he could hear her thoughts, 'stead of the other way round. He tried to think real loud, let her know she didn't have to be worried, that he'd follow the evening's plan. He musta been thinking loud enough, since River relaxed a little in her seat and sipped at the fruity drink she'd ordered.

"Don't reckon I ever been in here before," Jayne answered the whore, turning his head to smile at her and give an appreciative look-over of her wares. "Ain't likely I'd forget someone like yerself, Miz…?"

"Rose," she said softly, with a hint of that same color rising to her cheeks under the makeup as she turned her head coyly to the side. She was skilled, this one, maybe had even had dreams of being a Companion once. But the fancy whore academy didn't accept too many girls from out here on the Rim, not unless they were absolutely stunning. And pretty as this Rose was, she couldn't be considered stunning, not like Inara or her friend Nandi. Course, a working girl, even one at a 'respectable' establishment like this, didn't have to be. Clean, friendly, willing and not to terribly hard on the eyes was 'bout all it took out here.

Jayne took another sip of his brew, his eyes swinging back to the mirror and the young woman in the yellow sundress. She was watching them covertly, trying not to look too worried at the full-grown woman's attempt to lure him upstairs.

'_Don't you be worried, darlin', I gave ya my word and I aim to keep it, dong ma?'_ he thought the words clear and slow, just like they'd been practicing. Funny, but the same 'powers' he used to fear and find _feng li_, now he saw for the advantage they could be during jobs, or in recreational situations like this.

Her posture relaxed at his thought-words, then snapped back to attention as a male figure came to stand by her table. Shooting a quick look at Jayne, she raised her brows slightly and smiled at the newcomer as he spoke to her.

Jayne let a frown drop over his face, patting Rose's hand and removing it from his bicep."'Scuze me, somethin' I gotta take care of right quick," he told the disappointed woman, adding a quick squeeze to her hand. "Might take a while, so don't hold off on your tradin' on account of me."

Raising his body to its full six-foot-four imposing height, he stalked over to the table, clamping an iron hand on the unsuspecting young man's shoulder from behind. Jayne resisted the urge to spin the fellow around, instead settling for looming over him as he gave a tight, toothy smile. The other man stiffened and slowly turned to face the hand's owner with wide eyes.

"This fella botherin' you?" he growled out to River, who sat calmly with her hands in her lap, her head tilted slightly to the side as she studied the pair of them.

To his credit, the younger man didn't wet himself or start shaking too much to speak, though the implications of being latched onto by a scowling, towering wall of muscle were evident on his slightly paled face.

"I-I only asked her if I could buy her a refreshment, mister! Didn't mean anything by it, if… if… if she's with you, I didn't mean to – "

"What's your name, boy?" Jayne asked him, pulling the young man closer to peer intently into his face. Low enough that only the three of them would hear, he added, "And don't _lie_ to me, cause I'll know."

"Ch-char-char-Charles, sir, my name is Charles. Bu-bu-but they call me Chuck. My friends, that is, they call me Chuck." Chuck held up both hands in surrender. "Look, if the lady's with you, I can just – "

"Where ya from, _Chuck_?" Jayne pressed, eyeing the neatly dressed fellow as if the secrets of the known 'verse depended on it. He didn't go armed, at least not with visible weapons, and Jayne's practiced eye couldn't make out any tell-tale lumps or creases in his clothes that spoke of concealed arms.

Despite being the same height as the gunman, the younger man was of lankier build, a fact that Chuck obviously was considering that as he looked over Jayne's well-defined muscle mass with a healthy dose of respect.

"You from around here, or just come in off one of the ships? You some kinda travelin' Fed, _Chuck_?"

"Ship! I'm on a ship! I mean, I fly on a ship, sir, the Carmichael," he answered quickly, looking nervously between Jayne and River and the oh-so-far-away door.

Jayne pressed him further. "So, are you?" His fingers bit into Chuck's shoulder with a little more force.

"Are I –?"

"A Fed?"

"Am I a – no, no, not a Federal, I'm a computer."

Jayne's brows raised at that. Chuck shook his head quickly, color rising to his face. "No, I mean, of course I'm not a _computer_, that's just silly. I work with computers. Fix them. Traveling computer repair, Orion Tech Repair? You know?" He nodded hopefully to River and Jayne, as if that cleared up everything. At their continued silence, his nod turned to a shaking of his head.

"Ya don't know. Oh. Well. We don't have a huge presence out here. Yet. Kinda why I'm out here, traveling around, letting folks know I'm… y'know… around. Just 'cause you live on the Rim, doesn't mean you don't have computer problems, cortex connection issues, hand-held information devices, that sorta thing."

Jayne shot River a purposeful look. "So, L'il Gal, what should I do with our 'computer fixer'? You reckon I oughta take him to meet Vera?" He gave Chuck a smile that was more threatening than friendly.

"Hey, hey, hey, I said I didn't mean to intrude upon your… your lady-friend, I didn't know you were together. I'll just – I could just go – "

"Not a unit. She – I like club soda. Chuck and Jayne would please bring her a club soda?"

Jayne wrapped a thick arm around Chuck's shoulder and steered the perplexed young man toward the bar.

"Hey, look man, I really didn't know she was with you. If I stepped over the line, I'm sorry," Chuck offered sincerely, obviously anxious to get out of the larger man's striking distance. "I'll just buy the lady a club soda and you a… a large, manly drink, and be on my merry."

"You ain't leavin'," Jayne said matter-of-factly. "Evenin's still young, an' ya don't wanna make the little lady wait too long, _dong ma_?"

"Not really, I don't understand at all."

Jayne looked back over his shoulder at River, who now appeared to be concentrating on making origami figures from her napkins.

"She likes ya," Jayne stated, giving the other guy a skeptical look. "Ain't sure why, but then, ain't no accountin' fer taste, right?"

Chuck laughed nervously. "That's awfully nice, but… but I'm really kinda old fashioned, y'know. Two's company and three's… three's a… three's just a little more… ahem, interesting… than I usually – " his eyes widened in alarm as Jayne growled at that, and hurried to add, "NOT to say there's anything wrong with that… sort of thing. If you're, y'know into that sort of … thing…"

Jayne scoffed as the fellow kept talking himself into a hole. The more he said, the more nervous he got, and the harder it was for Jayne to keep from busting out laughing in his face or knocking him senseless for what he was implying.

"Relax, Buttercup, you ain't my type," Jayne sneered, relieving the guy's fears. "I don't mean you an' me an' her, I mean you an' her."

Chuck looked stunned. "You're her… and you find her… I mean you share…"

Jayne clarified, shooting daggers from his eyes. "I don't share my women," he growled. "But she ain't my woman. And there ain't gonna be nothin' like that goin' on here with her anyhow, _dong ma_?"

He could feel some of the fear ease away from the younger man at that relevation. "You're not with her?"

"No, I'm not _with_ her, we're just here together," Jayne said slowly, certain that would clear the fellow's misconceptions up.

Chuck's look said otherwise. Jayne sighed. "We're crew. Gotta look out for your crew, right? 'Specially young, pretty female crew who some hundan might think to make a club soda into more than the lady had in mind, _dong ma_? Unless they know there's a big mean man watchin', who'd look on that unkindly, and turn their insides to the outsides if that happens. But that's not gonna happen, is it, Chuck?"

Chuck laughed nervously, but the relief was written all over his face. "No! No, no, I would never… not even if you weren't here."

Jayne looked back to River, thinking his question loud and clear, and getting a smile and enthusiastic nod in reply.

"So, club soda it is," he smiled in a more friendly way. "And maybe a bit of dinner and talk, at that table right there, dong ma? Ask her about her dancing," he added in a low, conspiratorial whisper. "And mathematics. She loves mathematical talk."

"Yes, thanks…er, mister, I will," Chuck said, casting a beaming smile back to River before ordering two club sodas and asking for a menu.

Back at the table, Chuck sat down across from River. He started scooting over for Jayne to join them, but the big man waved him off, and threw a grin over his shoulder to Rose. The lady seemed captivated by the play she'd just witnessed, and had indeed held off on plying her trade with someone else.

"You all good?" he asked River.

"Excellent," she said, sipping her soda. "Charles and I will converse now. Your amusement awaits."

"Well, alright then. You kids play nice, me and Rose are gonna go do some grown-up 'conversing' upstairs." Leaning over Chuck's side of the table, he spoke low. "You know what I'm gonna say here, doncha boy?"

Chuck nodded with certainty. "Yes, Sir."

"Then I ain't gotta even say it, do I?"

"No, Sir."

"Good!" Jayne said cheerfully, slapping him hard on the back and returning to the bar where Rose waited.

The whole plan had gone smooth. Taking Chuck from the table, getting him to focus on Jayne and the healthy fear that his life could be in danger, had given River enough time to read the man and see what kind of intentions rattled around in his brainpan. It was the best he could do for her, short of sitting in as a chaperone, and Jayne did have his own needs to see to, after all.

River wouldn't begrudge him that. What lay between them was something special, for sure. Ever since that night a month ago, there between the satin sheets of the Golden Lotus, there had been – would always be – a special bond between him and the woman she became that night.

They'd held nothing back, and he had been slightly surprised that anyone who was that closely related to Simon '_stick-up-his-pi-gu_' Tam, could be as free and unabashed in her own skin. She'd spoke the truth as much as he had, though. Neither of them looked for the picket-fence forever after the sun rose.

Their friendship had cemented in the weeks since then, a kinship Jayne wouldn't have imagined when he'd first met the girl. As a working pair, they were a fearsome team. Even Mal seemed surprised how well they worked together during meets. Helped that she could read his intentions, and while Jayne weren't nowhere near to being psychic, he could read her body language and the looks on her face well enough to know when she was picking up on bad things about to happen.

She hadn't sought him for more physical learning since that first and only night. He wasn't sure he'd have agreed to that anyway, though he still helped her out with advice on how to act in public, and specifically romantic, settings.

This trial run had gone pretty good, he thought. Couldn't expect her to go meeting suitors on her lonesome, but the crew still had a pig-tails and knee-socks image of her burned into their brains. Until one or t'other of them finally woke up to realize River was a woman full-growed, Jayne figured it was up to him to look after the little lady when she wanted to pursue normal, womanly pursuits. Like letting a decent fella buy her dinner and a club soda.

And tonight had soothed any worry she mighta had that he'd just drop her off first chance he got and head on toward his getting his own play. Jayne held up his end of the bargain, distracting the fella so she could get a good read on him without freaking him out, and provided enough 'mean bad man' threat that any _hundan_ with a lick of sense would mind his manners with her.

He was fair certain Simon would keel over, if'n he ever found out. That right there was enough incentive by itself for Jayne to go along with the arrangement.

"Sorry 'bout the hold-up, just had to look out for my crewmate," he explained to Rose as they moved toward the stairs.

From across the room, River called out, "Xie-xie, Jayne. Happy fornication!"

"That's the plan," he answered with a wide grin, his eyes focused on the pretty woman at his side.

~FIN~

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End file.
